Monday, August 6, 2007

Summer is for Reading II

After having just spent an entire weekend mostly neglecting my family, I finished reading the final Harry Potter book today. No need to stop reading, this is strictly a NO SPOIL ZONE...
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed it. I'm sad it is over. That's always the sign of a good book: when you're sad it's over. So, I thought I would mention some other books I've read that I wished wouldn't end:
  • War and Peace, Tolstoy (seriously, you would think I would just be relieved when it was done, but it was sooo good.)
  • Bridget Jones' Diary (either one), Helen Fielding
  • Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver
  • East of Eden, John Steinbeck
  • The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
  • The Queen's Fool, Philippa Gregory (She has a whole series on British monarchs. Very easy reads and slightly addictive.)

And while I'm thinking about books, how about a few other categories.
Books I Threw Across the Room when finished
  • Animal Farm, George Orwell
  • Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

    Books I stopped reading(usually because I didn't like where the characters were going)
  • Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky
  • Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
  • The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen
  • Cannery Row, John Steinbeck (this one I stopped out of boredom)

    That's it for today. I would love to hear from anyone else about books they might put in these (or other) categories.
  • 4 comments:

    Oh, Cripe! said...

    Thanks for the recs, Dara! As a non-English major who loves to read but doesn't stay up on the classics and the latest, I love it when people tell me what to read. Such a bother to begin a book and then never pick it up again because it stinks!

    Kisses for Baby Z,
    Mel

    TulipGirl said...

    You seem to have an interest in Russian authors. . .

    Anonymous said...

    Books I Didn't Want to End:
    (1) Gone With the Wind (Seriously, I loved the banter between Scarlett and Rhett when I was a teenager, but now, I realize that marriage would never have worked. Still, this one is a keeper.)
    (2) Pride and Prejudice - J. Austen
    (3) Persuassion - J. Austen
    (4) The Count of Monte Cristo - A. Dumas
    (5) Heat - B. Buford (Foodies will love this one)
    (6) Jane Eyre - C. Bronte
    (7) Wuthering Heights - E. Bronte

    Books I Wanted to Throw Across the Room After Finishing:
    (1) Northanger Abbey - J. Austen
    (2) Mansfield Park - J. Austen
    (3) Villette - C. Bronte (Don't even bother with this one)
    (4) Howards End - E.M. Forster

    Books I Stopped Reading:
    (1) Moby Dick - H. Melville (Why does it have to be so long?)

    And a fourth category -- Books I'm Glad I Read Once But Probably Won't Read Again:
    (1) Sense and Sensibility - J. Austen
    (2) Emma - J. Austen
    (3) The Good Earth - P. Buck

    Routine Mom said...

    Thanks for the comments!!
    I agree with Ann Marie about Moby Dick- I could barely get through it; I really had to force myself.
    I think I'll pick up a few of your favorites, Ann. I remember I really liked Jane Eyre. I think I'll give that one another read.
    And, I want to add to my list of Books I Didn't Want to End: Tale of Two Cities.